The green pressure group behind a damning report into releases of cancer-causing chemicals from the Wilton site, has come under fire.

Stuart Haines, chairman of the Dormanstown Community Forum, hit out at Friends of the Earth (FoE) today.

The Gazette told last week how FoE was highlighting the findings of an independent environmental consultant's report into emissions and releases from the Wilton complex.

The report painted a mixed picture - it praised companies for slashing releases to the River Tees by 70pc and for reducing emission totals. But it also said that releases of cancer-causing chemicals breached air quality standards "for most of the 1990s", that emission records weren't accurate and that an air quality monitoring station should be set up closer to Wilton - the nearest is 4.5km away in Redcar.

Now Mr Haines has hit back saying companies at Wilton had "bent over backwards" to do all they could for residents: "I think Friends of the Earth are trying to undermine the relationship people here have with industry because they want rid of it," he said.

"People round here owe that site an awful lot and we all know what money has been spent improving things down there.

"We're all fully aware of what's going on at the site and we also know that the companies on there can't do any more to help us.

"Fair enough the air down here is bad, but we chose to live here.

"There is a lot of asthma and cancer in this area, but that's the same wherever you go in any industrial area."

Arthur Forsey, chairman of the Friends of Locke Park in Redcar, and a member of the Dormanstown Community Forum, said: "While I agree there should be monitoring equipment at Dormanstown, it must be put into perspective that this site is improving all the time.

"Remember it employs people and brings trade to the area, it is also co-operating with the local community."

Mike Childs, senior campaigner with Friends of the Earth, stressed there was no external agenda.

He said FoE is committed to long-term improvements on Teesside - that's why a project worker had been employed here for over two years.

"We recognise the importance of the industry to Teesside in terms of employment and the local economy," he said.

"We want to work with local people, the health authority and the Environment Agency to make the area a better place.

"People chose to live in these areas because it's where their families live, and where their communities are.

"But they don't have the choice of whether or not they want to breathe bad air."